Automotive Updates - 20th September 2015

• Manufacturers of electric two-wheelers have claimed a sharp fall in their sale as customers who purchased the vehicles during April 1 and June 30 this year are yet to receive subsidy given by Delhi government to promote green vehicles.According to the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV), after the new budget was tabled, Delhi government changed their subsidy slab due to which, customers who bought the two-wheeler are still waiting for subsidy, which has created confusion among the new buyer.(ETauto)

•  Volkswagen AG has ordered an external investigation after US regulators found software the car maker designed for diesel cars gave false emissions data, its chief executive officer Martin Winterkorn said on Sunday, adding he was “deeply sorry” for the violation of US rules.“I personally am deeply sorry that we have broken the trust of our customers and the public,” Winterkorn said in a statement published by the car maker on Sunday. “Volkswagen has ordered an external investigation of this matter.”(livemint)

• At the ongoing Frankfurt Motor Show Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) has made an interesting revelation. The company’s Indian arm Maruti Suzuki is likely to get 15 new models by 2020 as it gradually moves ahead to producing bigger vehicles. While speaking to media at the event, Toshihiro Suzuki said, "We are planning to introduce 20 new models in the next five years for the whole group… out of those 20 models, except for the Kei Jidosha (mini cars), rest will be launched in India."(cartrade)

• All models of two-wheelers need to be fitted with anti-lock braking system (ABS) and combined braking system (CBS) by April 2018. The road transport ministry has issued a draft notification specifying the dates for compliance of these norms in its bid to reduce crashes and deaths involving two-wheelers by improving the braking system.Riders of two-wheelers are the most vulnerable road users. Last year 32,524 lives were lost involving these vehicles and over 1.27 lakh persons were left injured. (ETauto)

• Within only four months of its commercial launch, the Fascino scooter has already become the best-selling scooter model for India Yamaha Motor. The Fascino, which is powered by an air-cooled, four-stroke, single-cylinder 113cc engine borrowed from the Ray, sold 13,478 units in August 2015. The Yamaha Fascino was the seventh highest selling scooter model last month, climbing from the number eight slot that it had occupied in July 2015. It had sold 10,594 units in July. Also, the Yamaha Ray (Ray and Ray Z models), which sold 11,865 units in August 2015, was eighth best-seller in the list of top 10 scooters. It can be noted that the Fascino and Ray scooter models together contributed sales of 25,343 units during August 2015, thereby accounting for more than 40 percent of the company’s overall monthly sales. - See more at: http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/yamaha-fascino-ray-consolidate-position-india-scooters-9326#sthash.s9q7SX3U.dpuf

• The positive response from the enthusiasts for the soon-to-be-launched Fiat Punto Abarth has given the ailing Italian automaker enough confidence to come up with more India-spec Abarth performance derivatives. The Punto Abarth will soon be followed by the Avventura Abarth.

• Autocar India reports that the company is planning to develop an Abarth variant of the Linea sedan as well. Given that the high performance modules of the Punto can be easily adapted by the sedan, cost and development time factors are only favorable. The Fiat Linea Abarth, if produced, will employ the same 145 PS 1.4-litre T-Jet turbocharged petrol engine which is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.(rushlane)